Weekly Dance Classes with Luv2Groove 2013

Hey Everyone! Luv2Groove is starting to offer weekly classes in 2013! 

We will be running 10 weeks of Breakin' classes with Raul & myself (Julia)!

Let me know if you'd like to register for our 10 week session- details below.

Details:

Where: Greely PS

Time: 6-7pm

Ages: 8-13yrs

Dates: Jan. 8th- FREE demo class & Registration

          Jan. 15th- March 26th: 10 week session (excluding March Break)

Cost: $125.00 HST

Description of class: Each class will feature a variety of music old and new (age/language  appropriate). Students will get lost in movement and fun while interacting, building self-esteem  and expressing their creative minds! Students will engage in character building activities, as  well as movement phrases that incorporate steps found in Hip Hop and Breakdancing!  Guaranteed to get your children grooving, sweating and having fun! ALSO- Performance opportunities for your kids with Luv2Groove @  Chriton Cultural Centre, Funatorium (CE Centre Feb.17th/18th), Ottawa Childrens Festival,  National Arts Youth week, House of Paint & Dusk Dances

www.luv2groove.com

info@luv2groove.com

It's Decemeber Already!

Hi Everyone! Hope you're keeping warm! Although I love the sun, I must admit I am really looking forward to a lot of snow this year! I've decided to start snowboarding this year for REAL! We bought ourselves season passes and snowboard gear so we're ready to take on the mean/steep slopes of Gatineau! 

In the mean time, Luv2Groove has been keeping busy with tons of one-day workshops and week-long residencies at schools all over Ontario, including Missisauga! November was a hectic month, Luv2Groove was @ Lisgar Collegiate Institute with Chantal, John Fraser Secondary School with Marcelino Dacosta not to mention many other schools in Ottawa. 

Nov. 5-9th, I was at Queen Elizabeth PS where Luv2Groove received a grant from the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board. We also had the opportunity to help spread awareness for World Diabetes day by teaching locals from Ottawa a flashmob routine to the Elvis song " A little less conversation"! Check out the video link! They did a great job and there was an Elvis impersonator too! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qjwET3poFE0

Nov. 7th was "Take our Kid to work day" and since I have no children yet, I had the honour of having Ezra from Canterbury High School join me for the day and shadow me teach! It was a great day, he was an excellent addition to Luv2Groove! Thanks Ezra!

From Nov. 14th-23rd, Luv2Groove was in Almonte @ Naismith Public School working with the entire school! The staff and students were amazing! They even made me cards and brought me flowers on the last day so sweet! Here's a note from one of the teachers:

Last week was a special week, I got to go back to my old high school @ St. Mark High School in Manotick and teach a full week unit to all the grade 7's and 8's! They even gave Mr. Ra and I a St. Mark t. shirt! Felt like the good ol' times again!

On Wednesday Nov.28th, Luv2Groove spent the evening with the Metcalf Brownies, Girl Guides and Pathefinders doing "Gangman" style! Girls ages 7 to 13 danced their hearts out! 

Friday, Luv2Groove was all over the map. We had Ms. Livia teaching at the École secondaire publique L'Héritage in Cornwall, and I was at Mother Teresa High School and Charles H. Hulse Public School. Although it was Friday, Luv2Groove was still groovin' there way into the weekend with a morning workshop at the Ivivva pop-up shop (Lululemon store for kids) @ Bayshore shopping mall! 
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.480902808619306.108200.453500294692891&type=1

And after that Mr. Ra, Ms. Livia and I taught the children at the Solace Systems Christmas party!

This week, Luv2Groove will be at Elmwood Private school doing workshops in Musical Theatre, Jazz and Hip Hop! We'll also be at Avalon Public School working with the kindergartens on their upcoming Christmas performance! Until next time, live, laugh, love and groove! Only a few weeks left before the holidays!!!!

One Luv.

Winner!

On Oct.21st, I had the pleasure of grooving with delegates from the Canadian Dance Assembly conference held at the National Art Centre in Ottawa. All weekend, there were artists, professors, researchers and lovers of dance listening and speaking about dance. So as a surprise, I was invited on behalf of Luv2Groove to get the participants moving and grooving and l we did just that and more! It was so much fun and I was truly amazed at the amount of energy everyone gave and how open they were to bustin' a move with me!

Later that night, I had the honour of being in the presence of so many talented and dedicated people in Canadian Dance. Among other finalists, Luv2Groove won the "I love to Dance" YOUTH award from the Canadian Dance Assembly. It was a great evening and I can't express how thankful we are for being recognized for the work we are doing in schools. This award is dedicated to all our supporters, teachers, friends, family and to all the youth who have inspired us along the way! We look forward to continuing to help youth thrive by providing inspiration, hope and purpose one dance step at a time!

http://www.cda-acd.ca/en/programs-services/ilovedance-awards

On Friday, Oct.26th Mr. Ra, Michelle and I got to lead a room full of zombies in the classic "Thriller" dance by Michael Jackson at the annual Dragon boat fundraiser!

And last Sunday, I finally got to celebrate my Master's in Education at my convocation. I was so grateful to recieve my degree from the honourable Michaelle Jean.

So many amazing things have been happening to me and to my company lately and I can't express enough how grateful I am to all the people who have helped me acheive all my goals and dreams. My family has been my number one support system and my partner Raul. I never believed in myself as much as they did, but when I started to truly believe in myself and the work we are doing, things started to align themselves in all the right places. I'm so excited about all our future projects and plans that are percolating. 

Thanks again from the bottom of my heart, we look forward to grooving with you!
One Luv.

Happy October!

Hi everyone! Hope you've been enjoying the first weeks of school. I can't believe it's already October! September was a great month! Luv2Groove had the opportunity to teach a full week dance unit at Severn Public School. The students at Severn sure know how to groove. They even had a chance to perform for the school's very first assembly of the year doing "Gangman Style"!

Luv2Groove also had the opportunity to take part in the Canada wide celebration of "Cultural Days"! We had a booth set up at the National Arts Centre and taught a free hip hop workshop to over a 100 parents and kids on the Southern Hall stage! It was 45 minutes of pure awesomeness! 

October is already in full effect with Thanksgiving a couple weekends ago and Halloween coming up!  Luv2Groove was @ Grant Alternative for a full week and this week we're dancing up a storm with students from Viscount Alexander! I feel so blessed that we get to share our love for dance with students everywhere and have dance parties everyday! 

NEWS 

Some exciting news for Luv2Groove this month as well. I'm (Julia Gutsik) going to be the new choreographer for the TVO Kids show- Prime Radicals! I'm so excited!

This weekend, myself and Ms. Keave will be representing Luv2Groove @ the CODE conference (Council of Ontario Drama and Dance Educators) in Toronto with other dance educators of Ontario. 

On Sunday, I'm back in Ottawa to lead participants at the Canadian Dance Assemblies' National Conference in Ottawa and in the evening Luv2Groove has been invited to the the "I Love Dance" Awards ceremonies because we are finalists in the Youth Category! http://ilovedancecanada.files.wordpress.com/2012/09/ild-awards-finalists1.pdf

Upcoming Luv2Groove dance units this month include: Gloubourne Middle School, Elmdale Public School, Sacred Heart High School and Younge People's Language School. 

WANNA PARTY WITH LUV2GROOVE?

Book a Birthday, Halloween, Christmas or Wedding party with us!
Email info@luv2groove.com for more information!


Until next time, be safe, have fun and don't stop grooving! 
One Luv.

Groove Back to School!

Good luck to those of you heading back to school today! Wishing you all the best! Rock those hallways proud and see you soon....

UPCOMING NEWS/EVENTS!

• Luv2Groove's Children's Company starting this FALL! Stay tuned for more details on how to register your child! Weekly dance/performing class starting Sept.28th-Dec.14th. Location & times TBA.

• Sept. 16th, 2012- Julia will be at House of Paint http://www.houseofpaint.ca/index.php with her side biz Throwback Threadz http://www.facebook.com/pages/Throwback-Threadz/226274334074792 (selling new/old urban vintage clothing). Everything under $40! 

• Sept. 30th, 2012- Come check out Julia's hip hop workshop part of Cultural Days in Ottawa (http://www.culturedays.ca/en) at the National Arts Centre! It's FREE, so come get your groove on!
• In October Julia will be working with Propeller Dance's performing company http://propellerdance.com/ doing workshops on dance education. Propeller Dance is Ontario's only integrated dance company working with people with and without disabilities.

• Oct.19th-21th, 2012- Luv2Groove will have a booth at this years CODE http://code.on.ca/ (Council of Ontario Drama and Dance Educators)

• Mr. RA (a.k.a Raul) will be judging and teaching a workshop at the ILL-Abilities http://www.illabilitiescrew.com/ 5 year anniversary jam in Montreal, QC

Stay tuned for more news and upcoming events!

Until next time, 

One Luv.

Hello party people! Sorry for the delay in writing...it's been definitely quite some time since I last wrote on here. Things have been pretty busy these last few months. I actually started to write a blog after finishing our last week of workshops in schools back in June, but never sent it. So here it is (written at the end of June).

Thank you….see you next Fall!

What a busy yet amazing school year! Luv2Groove taught close to 1000 workshops this year! I finally finshed my Master’s in Education and Raul (a.k.a Mr. RA) finished his Registered Massage Therapy certification. We are very excited to finally be devoting all our energy to building Luv2Groove and expanding to other parts of Canada, not to mention we will be running 5 weeks of summer camps!

On top of a successful year, we were awarded an “Artist in Education” grant from the Ontario Arts Council, giving Luv2Groove the opportunity to teach 5 one-week dance workshops in schools at a subsidized cost. We were also awarded the Majory Loughrey Artists in Schools award from the Ottawa Carleton-District School board to teach a one week dance residency at Queen Elizabeth Public School in the fall.

We are truly grateful and blessed to be recognized as Ottawa's leading dance educators and look forward to continuing the growth and development for dance education in Canada. That being said...

Luv2Groove has started a program in which we will give back to the community by offering free workshops and sending kids to camp for free this summer through our community outreach programs. For 5 weeks this summer, Raul and I are will be running summer camps in 5 different locations around Ottawa. 

Back to now (July 30th)....

We are on our 5th week of camp and it has been an amazing journey! We dance, play, swim, design hip hop hats, tye dye clothing and perform at the end of the week by showing off all our creative work.

Raul and I are so proud of everyone for expanding their minds and bodies through dance and art. We could not have asked for a better summer including the amazing whether we have had! Here are some shots from camp!

Stay tuned for new updates to our website and new programs in schools! We are looking forward to the fall, but first we need to rejuvenate our souls with a little R & R somewhere South! 

See you soon, 

One Luv.